MAGEN – mental health enhancement in the front line.

Abstract

Militaries throughout the world are occupied in combat missions worldwide. Looking at the morbidity in the wake of these engagements, the psychiatric burden stands out as most significant with a published prevalence rate of around 8 – 15% in the fighting forces and even higher rate for acute stress reaction (ASR). The Israeli Magen behavioral program, based on solid scientific ground, was conceived to provide a targeted while simple and straightforward treatment action for combat-related ASR states in theater, to be administered by soldier-to-soldier in the immediate aftermath of combat operations. The program could be shown to contribute to lowering the rate of combat-related stress injuries and to helping build resiliency in combat soldiers.